Food Chains and Food Webs

What You'll Learn

Food webs show the complex feeding relationships in an ecosystem. Unlike a simple food chain, a food web shows that most organisms eat more than one type of food.

Key Words

producer
consumer
decomposer

Materials Needed

small pots
cotton balls
zip-lock bags
labels

Safety First

Protect your work surface with newspaper or plastic.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read and learn: Food webs show the complex feeding relationships in an ecosystem. Unlike a simple food chain, a food web shows that most organisms eat more than one type of food.

Step 2 — Do

Conduct the experiment by following the instructions.

Step 3 — Observe

Look for patterns in your observations.

Step 4 — Record

Make a graph or chart showing your results.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is the main source of energy for most food chains?